all of them safe from harm. >> president obama reflecting this is the fourth time he has been placed to play the role of consoler in chief because of gun crime. >> are we truly doing enough to keep all of the children of this country the chance they deserve to live out their lives in happiness and what purpose? -- with purpose?

i have been reflecting with this over the last few days. if we are honest, the answer is no. we are not doing enough. we will have to change. "then came perhaps the single most emotional moment, the president of the united states are reading the names of the 20 children who were killed. >> charlotte daniel olivia josephine anna dillon madeleine katherine chase jesse james grace emily jack god has called them all home. for those of us who remain, let

us find the strength to carry on and make our country worthy of their memory. >> in his emotional speech, he showed he can talk the talk when it comes to gun control issues. now comes the hard part -- convincing politicians that this massacre means it's finally time to change. al-jazeera, newton, connecticut. >> the u.s. has been reluctant to oppose restrictions compared to other countries. last year, killing 77 people in norway, a country with far tighter regulations and they have since tightened their terror laws and finland had made a choir to acquire handguns. in 1996, a mass shooting in tasmania left 35 people did. they have not seen a big decline

in gun related deaths. that same year, a massacre in scotland leaving 17 people dead. it led to laws which effectively make it illegal to own a handgun in the united kingdom. guy smith is a gun owner and civil libertarian. he says the right to bear arms in the u.s. is a constitutional right. >> it is somewhat of a misnomer that we have a gun culture. we have a freedom culture. we live our lives based on the premise that what you do as an individual is not negligently harming someone else and you should be free to do it. we also learned early on in our history how governments disarm certain minorities and thus were able to terrorize them. week, the people, through our constitution says surroundings are off limits and one is that he will not take away our means of self-defense.

>> it was just outside the compound of a private company in kabul. earlier explosion killed 10 guerrillas in the east of the country. we have more from kabul. >> there were out gathering firewood in a rural part of eastern afghanistan. local police believe one of the girls hit a land mine with an ax and it exploded killing of children within the vicinity. they believe it could have dated from the times of the afghanistan's civil war because it was not planted in an area that today would have been an obvious target. they also found in other soviet era mine on exploded nearby. afghanistan remains one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. just this year alone, 967 afghans were killed in the conflict in this country and

most of them would have been the victims of improvised explosive devices and aligned minds. east of the city, a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle at the gates of the compound of a foreign contracting company. the explosion was felt two kilometers away rattling windows in the city center. at least two people killed in that explosion and dozens of casualties. among them afghans, american citizens and south african citizens. >> a car bomb has wounded several others. it exploded at a market outside a local office and it comes after security forces foiled an attack by the pakistan taliban. >> the island of fiji is being hit by its big cyclone in 20 years. tourists have been evacuated and thousands of people are seeking refuge. power is out and flights in and

out have been canceled. >> fiji is used to storms, but rarely this. cyclone evan, fresh from a destructive path across some of came north and west. this is where 20,000 people live, some of them recklessly. >> we are very strong. >> wind of more than 200 kilometers an hour smashing through the island in lifting routes. among those hunkering down arcturus. in fiji for a sunny break. >> seek a higher place. everyone is moving. >> at least 3000 people are seeking shelter. they are fearing their own

homes. infrastructure is down for many, possibly most. people are being warned not to go outside even if the wind calls because they could be in the eye of the storm. the northern coast line is being pounded. only once it stops will be possible to assess the full damage to property and, potentially, people. andrew thomas, al-jazeera. >> the man set to become the next japanese prime minister has vowed to take a tough line over territorial disputes with china. now beijing has weighed in stock on what that will mean for them. reporting from tokyo. >> after the rhetoric of the campaign trail, beijing reacted to his win. he says the shift to the right in japan is a worrying development.

>> we think the much more pressing issues that japan must show sincerity. we need to improve relations between the two countries. >> the first full news conference, he was sticking firmly to the same hard line on these countries all the way to japan. >> but the islands are inherently japan's territory. we own and control them under international law. there is no room for negotiation on this point. >> they also address the record low turnout at the election which she put down to a decision and others blame and voter apathy. especially among the younger generation facing a return to the party that has dominated politics for 50 years. their parents grew up knowing no other government. they are facing rule under the

same period for the young in japan, it is a return to the old normal. >> the politicians are always doing something up there. they are not really listening to ross. >> it is becoming like the elections are just for old people. >> the list of the number prime minister's get longer and naming them is becoming a bit of a memory game. now making his second appearance on that list, at least he has more of a chance of being remembered than others. al-jazeera, tokyo. >> the syrian army and opposition fighters engaging in fighting in the capital of damascus. the fighting centered in the palestinian refugee camp at the edge of the capital. they have killed at least half a dozen people in the area since sunday.

of are facing the prospect harsh winter in an adequate conditions. leaven on previously asked for aid to support the refugees. the meeting with the lebanese prime minister is to hear how they can help. we are in the back of cali area where many refugees are based. >> they need the basic necessities, food and shelter, blankets, and enough medication. they are very core concerns like the spread of diseases. the minister of health in 11 on house express this concern in a meeting today. -- the minister of health in 11 non has expressed this. and after a lot of political

wrangling, they have agreed on a package to help, but they have always had a statement saying that that amount of money is not enough. they advanced their idea and the concept of what should be given. today's meeting in beirut is a follow up on that with representatives of the u.n. and other international organizations listening in t

>> welcome back. you're watching al-jazeera. president barack obama says he will do everything in his power to prevent gun violence in the united states. he was seeking -- speaking at a service for the vigil of the 20 children killed at sandy hook elementary school. an explosion has killed 10 girls who were gathering firewood. they said was probably caused by a landmine. these out as a detonation of fiji is being attacked by a storm.

it is the strongest i can hit the country in 20 years. the philippines are set to approve a landmark law that will approve contraceptives and sexual and education costs. the president says that it will reduce maternal death and promote family planning. joining us from manila now, where are we at with this now? our live as leaders confident it will go through? >> there are very confident. it looks like it will be passed within the next half-hour. the house of representatives has overwhelmingly voted to pass the reproductive health bill and the senate is on its third and final reading. the majority have cast their votes already and it seems that they are all in support of this bill. those voting against it will be in the minority. the final figures will be in the

next half-hour. from here, with the legislature approving this bill, a bicameral conference will be convened where both sides can look at their bill. then they can take it to ratification. only one will be ratified after that process and it will be signed into law. this is historic because talks is the first time this controversial bill has even come forward for voting in the legislature. >> it has huge critics, notably. the roman catholic church. >> indeed. the philippines is the only catholic country in this part of the world. the catholic church has played a very strong and powerful role here, not just in the overthrow of government, but now they are basically saying that a vote for

this bill is a vote against god and religion. there is a silent majority of catholics here who have come out and said that they support the politicians were trying to push this bill forward. aside from being a catholic country, it is one of the most populated in the world. it has a birth rate that continues to increase every year. >> thank you for that. 20 years after the end of apartheid, they are frustrated at how long is it taking them to implement the land reform program. the issue is on the agenda of the conference under way at the moment. as we report from johannesburg, many of white farmers are worried. >> she struggles to support herself. she hopes that when apartheid ended that life would be

different and the african national conference would make good on their promise to make land available. she is 75 and still waiting. sorry. you are a peasant who is still alive, but you have nothing in the world. you will die like a dog. >> millions of people illegally occupied council land than they are sometimes evicted. land reform is controversial. many say more than 80% of the cultural land is still in the hands of white farmer. ♪ they want the government to speed up land reform in urban and rural areas. >> it will come to a boiling pant of -- point.

apathy can take over. >> the willing buyer, seller program not working. those were willing to sell say they are not being offered a fair price. they feel not enough of the new land owners know how to farm commercially. farmers are uncertain about the future. this will make way for the whites. >> we are afraid in the emotional upheaval around the land invasion that might take place. we are particularly unstable in our history. >> land reform is on the agenda at the conference. gladys and many others are waiting to see if they will keep

their promises. al-jazeera, johannesburg. >> the funeral for the nurse after the radio hoax is under way. she hung herself after she was duped by an austrian radio ascension. she answered the phone where the dj's called. one of the most famous actors in france will be giving up his citizenship and moving to belgium. gerard depradieu is leaving. we have the story. >> he is one of france's most affable movie stars. gerard is bidding adieu his country and moving to belgium to avoid the new taxes on the rich. in a letter to the newspaper he said the loss straw was

"bathetic" the french prime minister. it-- "pathetic." e says i'm leaving because talent and success must be punished. this is his new home, just over the french border. he has already met the mayor. >> i think he is being seduced by the rust side of our village, the warmth of our people. we're the belgian version of the northern france, tranquillity, a little restaurants, local shops. >> and the belgians do not pay a wealth tax. hollande is taxing the wealthy more trying to bring down a ballooning deficit. they could be paying more on their assets.

>> is taking advantage of the system. if we could do the same, we certainly would. >> others are making money and a sitting at home. i completely agree. if you can avoid paying taxes, let's do it. quite clever in that respect. >> depardieu has already checked out this classic car. if he's looking for a reminder of home, there is always this cafe's french fries. >> jaques hollande joines us. depardieu has been complaining about the taxes for years. why is he leaving now? >> maybe he is going to sell his

big house for 50 million euro and he did not want to pay capital gains tax on it. it is a house he bought for very little money or something like 7 million euro 30 years ago and now he wants to sell it. he wants to give up his nationality is because of all of this uncertainty. the prime minister called him ascetic. depardieu is the verio spoken man. he was a big supporter of nicolas sarkozy. maybe years trying to make a political statement at the same time. >> he is certainly outspoken. does he have a point or is he being a drama queen? 75% tax rate is causing a lot of anchor.

>> it is over 1 million euro per year. it was a symbolic gesture that will effect a few thousand people in france, of any bill send the wrong signal saying in france we penalize successful people when they make too much money. at the same time, it was a sergeant from the government. it would last only two years. they are in a crisis. this to be the biggest economic crisis we have known since the war. it is time for everyone to come together. the richest have seen their income rise over the last 10 years where the poorest have seen their income fall. the number of poor people in france has grown quite markedly. everyone should make a sacrifice. in america during world war ii, the marginal tax rate was 91%.

>> using the people are going to follow depardieu's example? >> there are quite a few people who are leaving france. the last figures we had were in 2010. 710 people left france for tax reasons. within europe, which is meant to be united, you have big tax competition within countries. to attracting wealthy people in belgium. the same can apply to great britain which tries to attract the very rich people. at the same time, they're cutting the deficits and taxing. public spending in france's biggest, but it is one reason why household consumption is down and why we have a recession.

you have to take all of that into account. depardieu is complaining about different tax system that has subsidized the french film industry which has made him wealthy and successful. >> a good point. jock, good point. -- jacques, good point. two nasa spacecraft will crash into the service of the moon. it is the planned end to the mission to look at the gravitational field. >> the moon as it has never been seen before. the images making up this video were taken by the space laboratories. the size of a small washing machine, they started mapping the gravitational field in tandem. they think the moon has a shallow or cross than expected, the result of asteroids and comets impacts.

this could provide a better understanding about how moons and other planets evolved. running low on fuel, nasa took a decision to hasten the spacecraft. alone, they would have been slowly drawn toward the moon surface and eventually crashing in. say there is a seven and 1 million chance they could have come down on one of the apollo landings. they said the spacecraft on a more direct course towards the lunar surface. the point of collision, a nun named mountain near the moon's north pole. traveling at 6000 kph, it will be destroyed on impact. the area will be in shadow meaning there will be no images of the crash. it will send an unprecedented it will send an unprecedented amount